A Handbook to Agra and the Taj eBook

at Agra, but even attended a marriage service and interpreted
the words of the sermon to the bride. Badayuni
says that “his Majesty firmly believed in the
truth of the Christian religion, and wishing to spread
the doctrines of Jesus, ordered Prince Murad (his son)
to take a few lessons in Christianity by way of auspiciousness.”
The Jesuits, however, did not succeed in making Akbar
a convert, for when his religious convictions were
at last settled, he proclaimed as the state religion
a kind of eclectic pantheism called Din-i-ilahi, or
“Divine Faith,” with himself as the chief
interpreter. Dispensing with all forms of priesthood,
he simply recognized One God, the Maker of the Universe,
and himself as God’s vicegerent on earth.
He rejected the doctrine of the Resurrection, and
accepted that of the transmigration of souls.
The Islamite prayers were abolished, and others of
a more general character were substituted for them.
The ceremonial was largely borrowed from the Hindus.

The “Divine Faith” had no hold on the
people, and its influence ceased with the death of
its founder. It is even said that Akbar, on his
death-bed, acknowledged the orthodox Muhammadan creed,
but the evidence on this point is unreliable.
Akbar’s religious system had an important political
bearing, for the keynote of his whole policy was the
endeavour to unite with a bond of common interest all
the diverse social, religious, and racial elements
of his empire. He overlooked nothing which might
further the object he had in view. He chose his
ministers and generals indiscriminately from all his
subjects, without distinction of race or religion.
He allied himself in marriage with the royal Hindu
families of Rajputana. He sat daily on the judgment
seat to dispense justice to all who chose to appeal
to him, and, like the famous Harun-al-Rashid, he would
at times put on disguises and wander unattended among
the people, to keep himself informed of their real
condition and to check the malpractices of his officials.

Though Akbar unavoidably had bitter enemies among
the more bigoted of his Muhammadan subjects, his wise
tolerance of all beliefs and the generosity of his
policy for the most part disarmed hostility from all
sides. Certainly no ruler of India before or since
succeeded so far in carrying out his object.
He is still one of the great popular heroes of Hindustan;
his mighty deeds in war and in the chase, his wise
and witty sayings, the splendour of his court, his
magnanimity and his justice, still live in song and
in story.

Akbar died in the Fort at Agra on October 13, 1605,
in the fifty-first year of his reign, aged 63.
He was buried at Sikandra, in the mausoleum commenced
by himself, and finished by his son and successor,
Jahangir.

Akbar’s connection with Agra.

The modern city of Agra, as stated previously, was
founded by Akbar in 1558, opposite to the old city
on the left bank of the river. He built the Fort,
on the site of an old Pathan castle, and part of the
palace within it. Agra was the seat of government
during the greater part of his reign. He also
built the great mosque and the magnificent palaces
and public buildings of Fatehpur Sikri, which are among
the most famous of the antiquities of India.